Youth Apprenticeship is a school-to-work program targeting high school juniors and seniors to help them make the connections between school and the world of work. Students participating in YA may choose to do a one or two year program that combines academic and technical classroom instruction with a paid work experience. A minimum of 450 hours of mentored on-the-job learning is required for a one year program and a minimum of 900 hours is required for a two year program. The YA program is administered by the Department of Workforce Development in partnership with the Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Technical College System, Wisconsin businesses, industry and labor associations, and local school districts.

Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship Program is coordinated locally by the Central Wisconsin School-To-Career Partnership and Mid-Wisconsin School-To-Work Partnership, and local school districts.